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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. root — of a word
  5. squash — to crush
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. root — the cause
  11. kick — in football
  12. current — electric
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. squash — the sport
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mine — for digging
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. root — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com